Chapter 338: Setting Up Furniture in the Tower
From the Northern Lands, the Earth Folk were teleported along with the furniture.
Today was the day for the provisional delivery as planned. Some of the furniture was designed to fit the shape of the tower, and there were pieces larger than the stairs and doors, so we would assemble them inside.
More than anything, we needed to work on the handrails for the staircase and the corridor that wrapped around the entrance hall.
“Well then, let’s get to it!”
“Leave it to me! For the honor of the Earth Folk!”
“For our honor!”
After Gamri’s voice echoed through the air, everyone dispersed to their respective stations. The handrails and the bases for the Spirit Lamps that I had installed were being dismantled.
I watched for a while, but the tower was narrow, and the stairs were even tighter, so I decided to retreat to the storage room below to avoid getting in the way. After all, this tower was originally built as a lookout for external threats, and it wasn’t very large. The first floor had only one room, which was spacious for a single person, but still.
If they needed me, they would call out, so I couldn’t leave the tower. Stepping out of the entrance and onto the external stairs, I noticed that the castle’s courtyard had undergone quite a transformation.
Even just around my tower, decorative walls that served as privacy screens had been erected, and trees were planted to conceal the entrance to the tower. I had requested a sunshade shelf to be built between the privacy wall and the tower’s stairs, with stone tiles laid below. The sunshade shelf had turned into a trellis of climbing roses.
I planned to set up an iron table here later so that I could relax in the shade. Thanks to the Chilling Plate, it was actually cooler inside, though.
The entrance was on the second floor, accessible by climbing the external stairs, while the storage room was on the first floor for transporting goods. Well, it sometimes doubled as a livestock shed, so it seemed that the first floor hadn’t been considered a living space until recently.
This storage room had stairs hidden within the walls, making it independent and inaccessible from above or below. It was where I kept items I wanted Soleil to sell for me. I came to the island on a whim, and Soleil was usually busy.
“I’m sorry for the noise, Blue Lizard-kun.”
I apologized to the spirit of the tower, who peeked out curiously. I had informed him about the work, but the Earth Folk could be quite rowdy.
“It’s fine, that voice is quite pleasant. Are you going to break it after going through all that trouble?”
“Yeah, I’m not a professional when it comes to furniture. I met some skilled people, so I asked for their help.”
“Is that so? I actually like the furniture we had before. It felt comforting.”
“Thanks.”
The Blue Lizard-kun’s colors had become more vibrant, and its tail had grown longer. Though its body was small, the tail that disappeared into the wall was long enough to wrap around the tower. It was the strongest spirit in this tower, and probably the strongest on the island. While it claimed to lack offensive power, it assured me that it was reliable for defense, so defining strength was a bit tricky.
“Can I go see the work?”
“Of course.”
The Blue Lizard-kun disappeared happily into the wall.
Well then, I might as well put something in the storage room.
I placed a few Magic Stones and some Spirit Silver in the boxes on the shelves along the wall, and I laid out some furs on the table that was prominently set in the middle. I had been scolded for carelessly rolling them up last time, so I made sure to spread them out neatly. I also added some items I had picked up in the desert.
“Hey, Soleil!!”
Suddenly, Gamri burst through the door, charging in.
“What is it?”
“I need you to move the magical tools! We don’t know how to handle them!”
I thought we had been collecting the Spirit Lamps normally, but what was going on? It turned out they needed help with the Chilling Plates.
We collected the items attached to the walls and floors. In the room, three Earth Folk were waiting with what looked like wainscoting, while two others were holding ladders. It seemed that three to six people were working in each room.
I followed Gamri, making sure not to get in the way as I observed the progress of the work. The rhythmic sounds of labor were accompanied by cheerful chants, and spirits flitted in and out of sight. Occasionally, I caught a glimpse of the Blue Lizard-kun’s tail wriggling from the wall.
The Earth Folk effortlessly affixed the processed boards to the ceiling, installed the wainscoting, and assembled the bed frames—tasks that seemed difficult were being completed with ease.
And then there were a few half-naked Earth Folk sprawled on the floor.
“Morik of the Sulfur Valley, what are you doing?! As an Earth Folk, you should not be hindering the work! Where is your pride?!”
Gamri shouted.
Wait, what?!
“Gamri of the Black Iron Pit, it’s a misunderstanding! We are merely savoring the sensation of this magnificent floor! The shelves and tables we prepared cannot match this smoothness! But we can get close! If we can get close, we must learn!!”
“With all our might!”
“With our whole bodies!”
The two Earth Folk echoed Morik’s words while lying flat on the floor. Now that I think about it, I had laid down slices of the Great Tree for the tower’s working floor.
“Hmm. Indeed, this floor is remarkable! Even for us, making the Goddess’s Great Tree this beautifully flat is a challenge. Morik of the Sulfur Valley, learn! Learn to your heart’s content! And show us that you can surpass this beautiful floor!”
“Of course! We intend to do just that!”
Sorry, but I just used the Zanzenken to slice it cleanly. When it comes to cutting straight, no aesthetic sense or skill is needed… Also, being told that while you’re rubbing your face against the floor is a bit awkward.
What I was praised for in the tower was this floor, the insect-repelling lace, and the craftsmanship of the Spirit Iron windows. The floor relied on the wood grain, while the other two were the spirits’ work.
Since we had moved on to the placement work, I decided to check on how the Spirit’s Branch was coming along.
“My lord, both Lord Paorul and Orlando have safely entered the Spirit’s Branch.”
Auro greeted me with a smile as I stepped out of the castle gate.